Edmond resident wins People with Disabilities Awareness Day award

Edmond resident Ethan Smith was recognized last Tuesday by the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services as the agency’s Vocational Rehabilitation Client of the Year.

DRS honored Smith as part of DRS’ 30th People with Disabilities Awareness Day with 639 participants who visited legislators at the State Capitol and attended a resource fair with 70 exhibitors at the Oklahoma History Center.

Secretary of Education Nellie Tayloe Sanders was the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony.

Commission for Rehabilitation Services Vice Chair Theresa Flannery and Commissioner Janet Barresi present awards as DRS Executive Director Melinda Fruendt emceed the ceremony.

Ethan Smith, who has autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hearing loss and intellectual disabilities, enjoyed working as a sacker at Uptown Grocery in Edmond through DRS’ Transition’s BEST Step summer job training and employment program in summer 2023.

After the summer program ended, Store Manager Shane Kennedy, who attended the awards ceremony, wanted to hire Ethan on a permanent, part-time basis, but had to wait until he had a vacancy for budget reasons.

While Ethan was off work, Kennedy had 20 phone calls from customers who asked, “Where’s that kid who’s always smiling?” They missed Ethan who Kennedy described as “a great worker with a positive attitude.”

“Today, Ethan is back at work at Uptown Grocery and happy to be there,” Fruendt said when the award was presented. “He also starred in DRS’ new public service announcement which was filmed at Uptown Grocery as Ethan’s parents, Christina and James Smith, watched with co-workers and store customers.”

“The People with Disabilities Awareness Day awards highlight the value of investing in Oklahomans with disabilities so they can overcome barriers to their educational and career goals,” Fruendt said after the event. “The individual services our clients receive level the playing field so qualified jobseekers who really want to work can become taxpaying citizens who no longer need government assistance.”

The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services served 96,178 people through employment, education and independent living training programs as well as determination of medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits in 2023.

For more information, visit www.okdrs.gov or phone 800-845-8476.